|Home Project| Teach Someone How to Speak Mandarin Video Due Monday, 12/2/2013

Due Date: Email me the video clip or a link to it by Monday, December 2, 2013 at vivian.liu@theglobeacademy.org

Instructions: Take advantage of family time during Thanksgiving Break. Have your child teach someone (a family member, a neighbor, sister, or brother...doesn't matter!) how to say their birthday in Mandarin!!! Yes, your child will TEACH the other person how to say their birthday in Mandarin.  I will post a video on how to say the months and days in Mandarin if I receive enough comments below. (beg.)

Fine Print? With your permission I'd love to post them on my blog!

Sorry- dogs were not in the mood for today's shoot...

http://youtu.be/lQDwOfhy4eY

Week of November 11-15, 2013

THANK YOU PARENTS FOR SUCCESSFULLY FUNDED OUR FIRST DONORS CHOOSE PROJECT WITHIN 2 DAYS! YOU ALL ROCK! 

Friendly Reminder
*Fresh Fruit Snacks and Water Bottle in Your Child's Backpack Daily!
*Please Label Coats and Jackets!

 Aside from all the excitement from Fun Run, we had a lot accomplished this week. The children are now asking and responding birthdays with accuracy. Since questions do not begin with the typical "What, When, How, Where, Why", Mandarin beginning learners do take awhile to get accustomed to. Thanks to all who have completed and sent in the flash cards in the reading bag. We identified the words during Poetry Reading, and played games during teacher directed literacy centers. I am amazed by how quickly the children catch on and how much fun we had "playing"!

In Math we continued to learn different ways of making a number and solving word problems by manipulating objects. The kids all enjoyed solving problems on the individual dry erase boards as well as the paper Aja Mann donated! It is interesting to see how some kids decided it was okay to write a number sentence with Chinese characters. Ha! They make my day!

As part of the immersion experience, I introduced my favorite song writer / singer Jay Chou to the children this week. Here is the song "Listen to Mom's Words" I played for the kids. They begged for more...I promise you, I am going to sob when they learn to rap in Mandarin. Oh my!

 

My Husband Came to help with Math :)

 

Puppet Show

 

Semi-Concrete Problem Solving

 

The Poem We are Reading and all...

                                   

Week of November 4-8, 2013

This week in Math, the students were introduced Story Problems. There are problems with numbers in them, and the kids had to be the detective to figure them out. Problem Solving is a huge part of Mathematical thinking as well as a lifelong skill. It could be a complicated task, and to do it in Mandarin has got to be more challenging! I was able to engaged the kids by using their names within the problems. Let's just say, we had fun!

Do not forget to bring in FINISHED vocabulary cards on Monday, 11/11 (or Tuesday, if your child is in my homeroom class). We will be familiarizing them during read alouds, singing, and literacy center.

Thank you for all the parents who made it out to the parent teacher conference on time and with those warm and fuzzy smiles. You mean the world to me with your kind words and positive spirit. Looking forward to seeing the rest of you!!! :)

Last but not least, I'm trying to raise money for a projector for our class. Currently my project is on donorschoose.org. For the next 6 days, DonorsChoose will match ANY donation made to the class. If you have the time and the funds, we would really appreciate a donation. Even $1 will help (because really it will be $2 when DonorsChoose matches it). Please do not feel obligated to donate.

IMPORTANT: If you decide to donate within the next seven days, enter the code {CHEER}. DonorsChoose will only match dollar for dollar if the code INSPIRE is entered.

Link to my project: http://www.donorschoose.org/we-teach/2046698.-876216288?supporters=true

|Home Project| Vocabulary Cards Due Monday, 11/11/2013

Vocabulary words and index cards will go home today and tomorrow. Please watch the videos below to help your child complete the homework. We will be adding these words to the reading bags. See you at the conference in a few days!

How to make the Vocabulary Cards

How to pronounce the words

Week of October 28-November 1, 2013

What a busy, fun, exciting, and spooky week it has been! Thanks parents for volunteering, waking up early to dress your kids, coming up with creative ideas to participate on all the fun themes. Mandarin parents are the BEST! Special thanks to Amy W., Laura Beck, Laura Bales, Jen M., Alison M., Renee S., Krista A., and Christina L. You made the week so much more doable, meaningful, and memorable. 謝謝！

I was amazed by how well behaved the children were on the field trip. The puppet show lasted for an hour, but our kids had their full attention on the stage. They laughed and clapped at the right moment like they were much older. All the background knowledge you have been stimulating before this really shows. Lauren and I were just proud by how much our kids absorb and deliver during the puppet workshop.

Next week we will be learning new poems and be soon adding Mandarin Sight Words into your child's Reading Bag. We will also be starting a Mandarin Literacy Journal in the next week or two...
please send in a journal notebook with your child on Monday (11/4). Thanks!! 


Friendly Reminder - 

Don't forget Parent Teacher Conferences start next Thursday (11/7). You should be getting a reminder via Signup Genius. 
Water Bottle DAILY!! This is very important, we want to make sure the kids stay hydrated throughout the day. 
Please take some time to label all of your child's clothing. 

Trick-a-Treating with Family